COVID-19 now reaches Guadalcanal Plains with positive cases recorded at GSH

The latest COVID-19 cases have now gone beyond the Honiara City boundary with some positive cases of the 88 announced today coming from the Good Samaritan Hospital in Tetere, Guadalcanal Plains.

Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has announced of the 343 samples taken, 88 had returned positive with COVID-19, all linked to the Ontong Java case.

He said the distribution of where in Honiara these cases were from is still being compiled.

“However, it is important that I inform you that we also had some positive cases from samples sent in from the Good Samaritan hospital,” he said.

So far, all these cases are linked directly to passengers and crew that arrived in Honiara from Ontong Java on 10 January 2022 on marine vessel MV Awka.

A total of 44 passengers arrived in Honiara from Ontong Java. Sogavare said most of the passengers remained in Honiara and some have moved to the GPPOL and Foxwood area and Aruligo. However, some of the passengers have travelled to Western province, Malaita, and Makira.

Sogavare said it is extremely important for the Ministry of Health can contact and see all the 44 passengers that arrived in Honiara on MV Awka 10^th January 2022.

“If any member of the public has interacted with any of these 44 people, it is possible you might be infected with COVID-19, and you can infect many other people you meet and speak with or stay with,” he said.